FIFA Rankings

**Superhoops** · 16/02/2005, 7:05 PM

New FIFA rankings published today, http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statisti...b-2005,00.html

After win against Portugal we stay in 12th place, but lose 1 ranking point?

**Bluebeard** · 16/02/2005, 7:34 PM

The rankings are based primarily on competitive fixtures, which the Portugal game was not. For example, Brazil trampled all over Hong Kong 7-1, but actually lose two points. This would also explain why Japan and Iran are 18th and 20th respectively - they tend to win more of their competitve games than Croatia or Poland, who have sterner opposition.

Dunno for definite but this seems a plausible guess at the mo

Interestingly Scotland have dropped another place to 87th, while Norn Iron have dropped another two to 111th, level with Uganda and beneath perenniel World Cup dark horses like Gabon, Botswana and Vietnam.

**pineapple stu** · 16/02/2005, 9:12 PM

We've lost our result from this time six years ago, don't forget. Feb '99 - who did we play? Can't remember myself...

**Superhoops** · 16/02/2005, 9:42 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

We've lost our result from this time six years ago, don't forget. Feb '99 - who did we play? Can't remember myself...

Beat Paraguay 2-0 at home?

**gspain** · 16/02/2005, 9:50 PM

Rankings are based on games going back 8 years with a weighting for recent games so our previous Feb results will all change.

They do cover friendlies as well as competitive games. Many people believe that the U.S. and Mexico are in false positions because they can stuff St Kitts 13-0 although the U.S. did beat Portugal and reach the quarters of the last world cup. Canada too who came bottom of a group with Guatemala, Honduras and costa rica just came to Belfast and beat Northern Ireland despite having 10 men for 70 minutes.

However given that we've beaten the Dutch, Czechs and Portuguese and drawn with the French and Brazilians I do think our rankiong is low. Given the points idfference however we are morelikely to lose out to Sweden etc than catch the U.S.

**Bluebeard** · 18/02/2005, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by gspain

Canada too who came bottom of a group with Guatemala, Honduras and costa rica just came to Belfast and beat Northern Ireland despite having 10 men for 70 minutes.

I think that that may have more to do with Norn Iron than teh brilliance of the North and Central American game